The Levelland City Council held a regular meeting Monday, July 24, at city hall where the council discussed multiple agreements and board member appointments.
One of the bigger items on the agenda, the council considered an interlocal agreement between the City of Levelland and the South Plains Association of Governments (SPAG) to continue to provide 911 Public Safety Answering Points Services.
SPAG is classified as a regional planning commission and as a political subdivision of the state. SPAG also provides many services to is member cities including regional 911 services which include address assignments, trainings, public education and planning. SPAG has developed a strategic plan to establish and operate 911 service in the region and the Commission on the State Emergency Communications Commission has approved the current strategic plan.
Interim City Manager Joe Cavasos explained that the contract between SPAG and the commission requires SPAG to execute interlocal agreements each year with local governments relating to the planning, development, operation and provision of 911 service, the use of wireline and wireless 911 fees, 911 funds and adherence to applicable laws related to 911.
Stated within the agreement, the city agrees to operate and maintain 911 services at the communications center and to provide that service 24-hours per day, seven days per week, and to work with SPAG in providing and maintaining suitable public safety answering points space meeting all technical requirement s set by the commission.
With Councilmen Max Ledesma absent from the meeting, the remainder of the council unanimously approved the agreement.
Another discussion the pending fire service agreement with the City of Levelland and Hockley County was held during the meeting.
Until this point in time, the city and county have had a fire service agreement in placed for over 10-years. At this current time, both entities are approaching the end of the current two-year agreement which expires September 30, of this year.
As a result, both the city and council have been working on a new two-year agreement to continue fire suppression services for the county. Currently, every fire run totals $945 per run developed and based on the actual cost incurred by the city in providing such services for the county in the 2019-2020 Fiscal Year, which includes personnel expenses and equipment expenses incurred by the city.
Costs of inflation and fuel expenses had been a re-occurring question for members of the council. Following the first discussion regarding the item, the council decided on revisiting the item with additional language to account for rising costs in the future.
The inflation adjustment within the agreement states, on an annual basis beginning October 1, 2024, the city shall adjust the per run cost as outline for inflation using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), the national all items index, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. The adjustment shall be based on the difference between the Price Index for December of 2022 and the price index for each December during the term of the agreement. In the event the price index in any December reflects an increase over December of 2022, then the per run cost will be increased by the percentage increase in the price index. The parites acknowledge that the price index may be positive or negative to account for inflation or deflation respectively, but that in no event shall the per cost run be less than that provided amount of $945.
Moving forward, the group voted in favor of approving the agreement to send to the county for their approval. It should be noted that the county recently held a budget meeting Thursday following the council meeting, but the agreement did not get approved as the added language from the city raised several questions with the commissioners court.
Continuing through the agenda, the council discussed an encroachment and license agreement for 908 Avenue K in Levelland, requested by Raquel Clewis.
Cavasos explained the city received a request from the property owners at 908 Avenue K for an encroachment license and agreement.
The property includes an existing fence and accessory building or shed that encroaches onto the city right-of-way. While the fence and structures encroach onto the city right-of-way by roughly two feet, it was added that it is not near other city utilities therefore does not interfere with any city services currently.
Requiring the removal of the fence now would be an expense to the property owners and could increase the sale price of the property, possibly delaying any sale. While the city desires to reserve the right-of-way in the future, the city staff does not see any issues with the council approving the agreement to all the fence to remain which will allow the sale of the property to move forward as it currently sits.
The group unanimously approved the agreement with little discussion concerning the topic.
Moving into the next item, the council discussed bids associated with purchasing a new Levelland Animal Control truck.
During a regular meeting in February, the council authorized staff to initiate the procurement process of several items using ARPA Funds. Included in that item was purchasing a new Animal Control truck.
The bidding process for the ACO unit and the animal containment box wrapped up with two bids on February 28. Both bids were rejected by the council at the March 6, meeting.
Following the decision, staff were directed to bid out the truck and box separately. Wrapping up the bidding process for the truck on July 20, the city received two bids from two local dealerships, Smith Auto Family and Scoggin Dickey.
The Smith Auto Family bid included a 2024 F250 Super Cab XL with four-by-four for a total of $48,293.58. The Scoggin Dickey bid did not qualify as the bid did not meet the deadline due date.
The bid from Smith Auto Family was approved by the council and was it was also mentioned that the truck would likely be entered into service in February of 2024 as the order would be placed in October 2023.
The council will be taking on numerous board openings coming open. City Secretary Andrea Corely announced that they are currently seeking to fill several positions and the number of applications is outnumbered by the positions open.
Levelland Community Development Corporation will be looking to fill a position being vacated by Michael Wiiest, Diane Lane and Ray Scifres on the Zoning Board of Adjustments, David Barnes and Derek Dunn on the Airport Advisory Board, Mary Shakespeare on the Cemetery Advisory Board, and Meleta Atchinson and Devin Sonnenburg on the Main Street Advisory Board. It’s noted that as the Main Street Advisory Board is being reduced by two seats, the seats being vacated will not be refilled. It leaves the council seeking to fill six seats.
Interim City Manager Jose Cavazos announced that tax valuations are in and they should have a full draft budget by the end of the business week. Cavazos asked the council if any council member had anything they were looking for in the new budget and raises for employees were immediately brought up as well as the possibility of adding firefighters and streetlights onto Avenue C.